Football

Prandelli slams ‘fragile’ Fiorentina

Genoa’s Italian coach Cesare Prandelli gives instructions during the Italian Serie A football match Genoa vs AC Milan on January 21, 2019 at the Luigi-Ferraris stadium in Genoa. (Photo by Miguel MEDINA / AFP)


Former Italy coach, Cesare Prandelli has expressed his disappointment after watching Fiorentina slump to a 1-0 defeat at home to Benevento.
Prandelli did not hold back in his post-match assessment and declared that La Viola are ‘too fragile.’  
The 63-year-old Prandelli who was appointed as Fiorentina coach on November 10 for his second stint says plenty of work will need to be put in to alter the fortunes of the club.
“I am very disappointed and bitter. I have to try to understand many things, we have to work a lot,” the Italian tactician told Sky Sport.  “The thing that catches the eye is that the team becomes shy and scary after the first difficulty and players start facing the game individually and not as a team.  
“Perhaps for too many players the expectations are very high, and to withstand the expectations you have to have personality.  “What worries me the most is this fragility. This is not a problem of the game system. 
“After the first difficulty the team gets lost on all levels. This team must become a group with a union of thoughts.  “If you do not have a team spirit, playing football becomes complicated. 
“There will be an open, sincere, discussion, because this is our job. We will try to understand how to improve this aspect.”  
Both Giacomo Bonaventura and Franck Ribery picked up injuries in the game and Prandelli briefly discussed the subject matter.  
“We thought we had recovered Bonaventura, we had prepared the game with him. Borja Valero hasn’t played an entire game since August, he is fit but not yet ready to start.  
“Ribery had a problem with his flexor, he is a reference for everyone, his injury aggravated the fear.”

Sammy Wejinya

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